Soldier Killed In Vietnam in ’71 To Be Buried This Weekend

7/22/11-Members of the Patriot Guard leave Sunset Hills Cemetery in Glen Carbon Il. Friday morning. They escorted family members of Army Spec. Randy Dalton to retrieve his body at Lambert Airport. Spec. Dalton, who was killed in Vietnam in 1971, will be buried with full military honors in Glen Carbon Sunday. (KMOX/Brett Blume)

GLEN CARBON, Ill. (KMOX) – Funeral services and burial for Army Specialist Randy Dalton will be held this Sunday.

Dalton was a 20-year-old door gunner serving in Vietnam when his helicopter was shot down on July 24, 1971.

Heavy enemy fire drove back those trying to get to the victims, and Dalton’s body was gone by the time they were able to return to the crash site.

Many years after the Vietnam war ended, U.S. officials were finally able to retrieve several boxes containing remains of American soldiers from Cambodia and last year Dalton’s body was positively identified.

One Comment

I am in the USAF and was on the plane that carried him home to STL today. As the Army detail Sgt was down loading flagged draped coffin there was barely a dry eye on the plane. It was a true honor to have witnessed this event and to know that one of the fallen has finally made it home. RIP my bother.